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Kogi: Late Audu’s Brother Declares Support For Governor Bello

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Abubakar-Audu

The immediate younger brother of the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the November 21st 2015 election, Late Prince Abubakar Audu, has declared support for Governor Yahaya Bello.

Prince Yahaya Audu was in Government House Lokoja, where he received the posthumous award conferred on the late leader by Governor Bello during the 25th Anniversary Celebrations of the state creation. He said the family was humbled by the honour done to them by the governor, adding that it is only the present administration that has ever remembered the work of the former governor.

Prince Audu commended the Governor for renaming the state-owned university after his late brother, stressing that the present administration meant well for the people of the state.

The younger Audu, who came in the company of some notable political associates of the late leader, said what the state needs is unity and peaceful coexistence in order to harness and realise the political dreams of the first governor of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu.

Prince Abubakar Audu was the Governorship candidate of the APC in the last gubernatorial poll in the state but died before the election was concluded. His party substituted him with Alhaji Yahaya Bello to conclude the process of the election.

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BREAKING: Federal Government Declares Tuesday Public Holiday To Honour Buhari

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The Federal Government has declared Tuesday, July 15, 2025, as a public holiday in honour of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the public holiday on Monday on behalf of the Federal Government, after receiving approval from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

 

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ECOWAS Caravan 2025 Highlights Barriers, Builds Support For Women In Cross-Border Trade

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The challenges facing women engaged in cross-border trade across West Africa took centre stage at the ECOWAS Caravan 2025, held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on July 11, 2025.

Launched this year by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Caravan is a transformative empowerment initiative designed to support small-scale women traders in West Africa’s informal trade sector.

The two-week journey followed the Abidjan–Lagos trade corridor, running from June 30 to July 14, with major stops in Abidjan, Lomé, Cotonou, and Lagos, culminating at the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre.

Speaking during the official launch of the Lagos leg and the caravan’s closing ceremony, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, emphasised the pivotal role women play in the region’s informal economy.

“Women are the lifeblood of informal trade in West Africa… this caravan is about visibility, voice, and value — it’s about shifting narratives and shaping policies that support women where it matters most: on the ground,” she said.

Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, officially launched the Lagos stage of the sensitisation and awareness campaign for small-scale women traders. She described the initiative as a timely and necessary intervention.

“This initiative is a direct response to equip and empower our women, who form the majority of traders along the corridor and represent the backbone of informal cross-border trade across the region.

“These women play a critical role in ensuring food security, creating jobs, and sustaining livelihoods in both border communities and their homes.”

According to Ambrose-Medebem, these women are more than traders; they are economic builders who continue to operate under conditions marked by uncertainty and frequent harassment.

She stressed that the campaign represents a significant step forward, aiming to expand awareness of trade regulations, legal frameworks, and ECOWAS community protocols that govern cross-border commerce.

Speaking to the press, the commissioner noted that the Lagos State Government remains committed to supporting informal sector traders, particularly women entrepreneurs.

“I want to say that Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, approved ₦500 billion for MSMEs under the Lagos State Access to Finance initiative for small businesses through cooperatives at 0% interest,” she disclosed.

The fund, matched by the Bank of Industry with another ₦500 billion, is non-collateralised, features a six-month moratorium, and offers a competitive 9% interest rate.

Dr Chinyere Almona, Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), applauded ECOWAS for its commitment to gender equality and regional integration, calling this year’s campaign “symbolic and necessary.”

“For women working in agriculture, fisheries, artisanal value chains, and cross-border trade, their daily grind is not just a livelihood; it’s an act of resilience and enterprise.

“Women traders form the uncelebrated backbone of West Africa’s informal trade economy, representing over 70% of informal cross-border traders and playing an indispensable role in food supply.”

Almona urged governments and stakeholders to invest in institutionalised, continuous capacity building through community-based training hubs in local languages, digitalisation of border procedures, and the creation of mobile-friendly platforms to expedite trade clearance and improve efficiency.

“Women in the informal trade are producing the formal results that is adding to the GDP and creating major employments.”

In her remarks, Princess Omotola Omole, National President of the Federation of Business Women Entrepreneurs (FEBWE), commended ECOWAS for its steadfast support of women.

“ECOWAS has consistently stood with women, ready to support, connect, and empower every woman who dares to dream big and trade to uplift her community,” she said.

Others who presented papers included the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Ruth Abisola Olusanya, who sent a representative.

The ECOWAS Small Business Coalition also expressed heartfelt appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission, partners, collaborators, and delegates for their pivotal roles in making the ECOWAS Caravan 2025 a landmark success.

Dr. Abdulrashid Yerima, speaking on behalf of the coalition, emphasised the collaborative impact of the caravan, stating, “The bridges we build today become the trade routes of tomorrow’s prosperity.”

He also praised the ECOWAS Commission for its leadership and credited the collective synergy of partners and delegates for transforming challenges into opportunities.

The closing ceremony, which hosted over 300 participants from across ECOWAS member states, featured an interactive town hall meeting where panellists addressed key topics such as capacity building, awareness strategies, and toolkit presentations, while also responding to audience questions.

Building on the successes of previous editions, the Tema–Paga corridor in 2023 and the Dakar–Banjul–Bissau route in 2024, the 2025 ECOWAS Caravan not only boosted the economic potential of women traders but also strengthened trade facilitation, enhanced market access, and fostered robust institutional partnerships across participating nations.

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BREAKING: Buhari’s Burial Postponed To Tuesday In Daura

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Former President Muhammadu Buhari will now be laid to rest on Tuesday instead of today, contrary to earlier reports.

He passed away on Sunday afternoon at a clinic in London.

According to an earlier report by The Nation, a presidential team arrived in London on Monday morning to bring his remains back to Nigeria.

Katsina Deputy Governor Lawal Jobe informed journalists on Monday afternoon that the burial had been rescheduled.

Jobe visited Buhari’s Daura home at 11.27am to assess the location where the burial is to take place.

 

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